Free At Last The Reunion
by SoloFalcon
Summary: I couldn't leave Free At Last alone. This small portion takes place immediately after Free At Last


_Okay…call it a whim, but I had to go ahead and finish the story for the rest of the characters too. _

_Please be kind._

_May we all walk in the Light…with the Force as our Ally._

**Free At Last—The Reunion**

By _Solo Dawn_

Kira contented herself with trying to glare a hole between his shoulder blades as Brinden unceremoniously dragged her after him. Stumbling in his wake, she gave an undignified squeak as he stopped with an abruptness that caught her off guard and she slammed into the wide expanse of his back.

Scowling, she took a step backward and leveled a glare at him, ready with a scathing comment. The expression on his face stopped her words before she could voice them. Sadness and regret pulled his features taut as he stared into the dimness of the Falcon's main hold.

She followed his gaze to the entrance of the nearest crew's cabin and then glanced up at him. Biting her lower lip, she offered silent comfort, gently squeezing the hand that still held hers. As his eyes lingered on the closed door that hid its silent occupant, Brinden was finally able to speak his own farewell.

"Clear skies, Han Solo." His voice was husky with emotion.

The myriad hums and whirs of the Falcon's revived systems were the only answer. But, as Brinden let his gaze rove over the interior of the Corellian pilot's beloved ship, he felt the same sense of peace that always greeted him when he was at home aboard his own vessel.

A faint smile pulled at his lips as he imagined the sigh of homecoming that the other man would have given as he came aboard. He smiled at his own imaginings._ Da always claimed that I had more Solo blood than Tharen. Guess he was right._

The rising roar of the Falcon's engines shook Brinden out of his reverie and he flicked a quick glance down at the woman next to him. Surprised to find her watching him, he looked away quickly. Then, swallowing his discomfiture, he turned back to shoot her a cocky grin.

"Well, short stuff, I think maybe we'd better haul jets unless we want a one-way ticket off this dirt-clod." Kira sighed at the nickname, but let herself be pulled from the ship without argument.

Turning, Kira and Brinden made their way through the corridor to the head of the landing ramp. Brinden paused for a moment, glancing back into the Falcon's interior, before slapping the ramp controls. They both strode quickly down the ramp and stepped off of it onto the smooth rock floor of the building. Brinden turned, his eyes misty as he watched the ramp rise, shutting itself with a quiet hiss.

In tune with his melancholy quietness, Kira gave the hand that hadn't yet released hers a small squeeze, then a tug. "C'mon. We need to get the dome open and get outta range."

"Yeah." Visibly shaking off his melancholy mood, Brinden joined her, walking across the expanse of floor to the doorway.

Glancing upward, he triggered the controls for the domed ceiling and they watched it retract in silence, the two halves pulling apart and sliding down to reveal a desert-dark night sky that was studded with points of light. Blue eyes and green both unerringly picked out a constellation, locating with ease the brightest star in the group and fixing the ship's destination with twin stares.

The rising whine of the old freighter's engines overpowered the grinding clank of the dome's retraction and brought their gazes to her. Slowly, more slowly than she had ever risen when a cocky young Corellian smuggler had controlled her helm, she gained altitude, her repulsors lifting her up to escape the confines of the building.

Reaching a distance several ship-lengths above the dome, her nose tilted skyward, the bulky saucer-shape blocking out a large patch of stars. Prudently, Kira and Brinden took several hasty steps back just as, with a roaring _whoosh_ of energy, the Falcon's ion drive kicked in, catapulting the starship upwards.

The two left behind watched the soaring ascent with emotion-brightened eyes for long moments, their ears ringing. As silence descended again, the ship having faded into a pinprick of light against the starry backdrop of sky, they turned to trade slow smiles of accomplishment.

_Kid!_

_Han! _

Aaarrraaaahhhoooo! The joyous Wookiee howl could only have been Chewbacca. 

_Chewie! _The word was choked off then a resounding laugh echoed in the large room. _Together again, huh? _Somehow, Han's voice managed to convey cocky bravado and humor beneath the obvious emotion that roughened it.

The pleasure in the Jedi's reply was unmistakable. _Yeah._

How we doin'? 

_Same as always…_ A grin creased Skywalker's face as he responded to Solo's teasing.

_That's not so bad… _Though meant to sound smug, the Corellian's words gained a serious edge that betrayed the strong emotion behind the words.

A long pause answered him, until finally Luke's equally emotion-filled words whispered into the silence. _No…no…it's not so bad at all._ With a sound like a cleared throat, Skywalker continued speaking more strongly. _Hey, someone's been waiting a long time to tell you something._

_Who? _A teasing smile infected the tone. _Chewie?_ _Wanting to tear into me for being so stupid?_

The next voice spoke reluctantly, unsure of its reception. _Ah…no…_

_Lando… _The teasing was replaced by a smouldering anger.

_Hiya, old buddy… _

_KEST! A chu'llan me ya Tcha'lleth ki'ch._ The words were snarled.

_Awww, C'mon Han…gimme a break…l had responsibilities…_

_Oh…responsibilities…_ The sneer in the voice was palpable. _I'll show you responsibility…_

_Now, Han…_ The Jedi reproved the smuggler.

_Don't 'now, Han' me, Luke!_ Irritation was thick in the voice.

_He did everything he could… _

Lando's voice interrupted. _I did, Han. I tried. I can't tell you how sorry…_

_Stow it, Calrissian._ The tone was unforgiving, harsh. Then, after a strained pause, a sigh exploded into the silence, and Solo's voice continued ruefully._ I forgive you._

_You do?_ The former Administrator of Cloud City and the ex-President of the New Republic were shocked into speechlessness.

_Ummhmmm… _Deliberately, Solo paused. _I have to._

Filled with uncertainty, Lando voiced the question. _Uh…have to?_

When the voice came again, it was matter-of-fact but contained a hint of teasing indulgence. _Yeah…I can't beat the living ki'ch outta ya without a body, now can I?_

_Uh…_ Lando's voice grew even more uncertain. _Right._

A soft sigh and a gentle voice eased into the conversation, chastising Solo for his teasing. _Behave, nerf-herder!_

_LEIA! _A long silence followed the ecstatic exclamation.

_Umm…Han? _Lando's voice echoed with laughter as he urged. _Han, c'mon…you're embarrassing Luke, buddy._

_Wha...?_

Gently, the Jedi Master reminded them all. _We can't stay much longer, Han._

_Oh…okay. Hey! Wait a sec…_

_What?_

_Who is she?_

_Who's who, Han?_

The girl… 

_That's Kira_

_She told me that… _Solo's voice was edged with irritation. W_ho the Kest is she…why'd she…_

_She's Luke's granddaughter, Han. _The soft feminine voice informed him. _She was our best chance to get you out of there._

_GRANDdaughter? _A stunned silence followed the outburst.

_Han, you okay?_

_Uh…yeah… _The voice was uncertain, suddenly realizing the ramifications of the explanation and remembering the revelation that had been given to him earlier. _I think. _

The uncertainty gave way to determination. _Can I…I wanna say something to her…can she…?_

Kira's Jedi Master quietly informed him. _She's a Jedi, Han…she can hear us…but…_ Humor edged into Luke's voice. _She's not listening right now. I think she's got something else on her mind._

The cocky grin faded from Solo's face as he studied the young Corellian in front of him, his eyes intense. _Brinden? Bria's grandson…_ His voice held wonder.

Brinden managed a smile, not realizing how the lopsided quirk of his lips bespoke his parentage more than his own earlier admission.

_And yours…_ Luke's voice held gentle teasing.

His words brought a rueful shake of Han's head. _I'm too damned young to be a… _Solo grinned and shook his head again, wry smile crossing his face as he heard his own objection.

_Han, we've got to go now._ Luke warned, his tone flat with rapidly encroaching exhaustion. _And they need to get out of here… There're guards on the way._

Han tore his gaze from the young man, looked at Skywalker and nodded before turning back once more. He lifted a hand in a final wave and, despite the fact that he would not be heard by the young man, spoke with quiet pride, acknowledging the son of his son in the unique blend of spacer lingo and High Corelli that was trademark Han Solo style. _Clear skies, me Te'kai._

He turned and began walking away, his figure fading swiftly even as Skywalker's form blurred next to him. _Solo and Skywalker. The bloodlines should have continued with you and Leia, Han. But…_

_Better late than never, kid._ Han's voice held absolution and real gratitude.

Luke was silent for a moment before he spoke again. When he did, his voice had gained a rough teasing edge that hid his own depth of emotion. Speaking of late…what took you so long… 

Hey! Like I said, Junior… _Laughter was back in Han's voice._ It wasn't my fault…


End file.
